Published: Thursday, September 5, 2013 at 4:47 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, September 5, 2013 at 4:47 p.m.

Carole Trachy, 80, told a jury on Thursday that she was scared as two figures unlawfully entered her Ocala bedroom while she was sleeping one January night, fired two shots into a painting hanging over her bed, another into a nearby blind, and threatened her.

"She said she had a gun and she would shoot me in the head," Trachy recalled a female voice say.

A bb gun is believed to have been used during the crime.

The victim recalled lying still in her bed as she listened to the pair rummage through her house for a half hour and call to one another; first in code but then by the names "Christina" and "Jason."

This was not the first time Trachy had heard this man's name. Jason Michael Lain, 31, had previously completed several odd jobs around the victim's house, located in the 1000 block of Southeast 52nd Court.

Trachy's retold the early morning events of Jan. 7 during Lain's trial, which began Thursday morning.

Lain is charged with a first-degree felony, armed burglary of a dwelling with an assault; a third-degree felony, furthering the burglary by cutting a telephone line inside the victim's house; and two first-degree misdemeanors, contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The prosecution argued Lain and co-defendant Christina Lyn Brick, 34, left their two young children unattended in a room inside the Ocala Inn while they committed the crime. Brick — believed to be in charge during the crime — pleaded guilty in open court Wednesday to the same charges and was sentenced by Circuit Judge Brian Lambert to 35 years in prison. She previously rejected a 30-year plea agreement offered by the state. A 240-day credit will be applied to her sentence for time served in jail pending resolution of the case.

During his opening statement, Assistant State Attorney Bryon Aven told the six-member jury the couple used a crowbar to open a sliding glass door at the home and, once inside, cut a phone line.

"Mr. Lain and Ms. Brick made sure the power was out," he said. "They knew she was home and they didn't want her to call anyone."

After the pair left, she called 911 to report the burglary and told officials her suspicion of Jason Lain as one of the suspects.

A Macbook, displaying Trachy's name in black ink, was later found inside a truck linked to Lain, along with other items.

While Trachy didn't see Lain during the burglary, she did identify him by his voice. "I do have very good hearing for an 80-year-old," the humanities professor said.

The defense later pointed out the man Trachy believed to be Lain only spoke five words during the crime, and therefore challenged her recollection.

After Trachy called 911, authorities issued a "be on the lookout" for a truck matching the description given by the victim. A Marion County Sheriff's Office corporal who heard the signal recalled pulling over Brick and Lain earlier. He headed in the direction of the Ocala Inn, where he believed they were staying.

He found the truck in the parking lot with several items matching Trachy's description inside.

During his opening statement, defense attorney Leonard Klatt indicated Trachy has a prior bias against Lain. "She had some words with him about the work he was doing," Klatt said. "So, when she was robbed, the first thing she thought was Jason Lain."

He told the jury Lain left his children in the care of friend Jose Martinez. Martinez, previously convicted of crimes involving dishonesty, denied this claim in his own testimony Thursday.

The man also told the jury he witnessed the pair come back to the hotel room and watched Brick dump out a pillowcase filled with jewelry while her young daughter tried on the items.

Klatt told the jury twice that Brick pleaded guilty to the crime and it was she — not Lain — who is responsible for the burglary. He also told the court his client was trying to sell a bb gun, and this is why he carried it around with him — not to commit an offense.

Klatt also pointed out only one phone line was cut, and therefore several other phones in the house would likely still be working.

Aven showed the jury surveillance footage of the Ocala Inn that depicts the truck leaving the parking lot around 1:30 a.m. and returning around 5 a.m. the morning of the burglary, which is said to have occurred around 4 a.m. The defense pointed out no one checked the footage to see if the truck had pulled back into the inn between those times.

Klatt also pointed out difficulty in identifying Lain or Brick by the footage.

"They look like them to me," said Marion County Sheriff's Detective Bobby LeVay after watching the footage.

At one point during the trial, Lain pressed his hands together in a praying motion, closed his eyes and moved his lips without speaking.

The defendant has been inside the Marion County Jail since his arrest on Jan. 8.

The state and defense are expected to rest this morning, and the case is likely to go to the jury for deliberation the same day. If a jury finds Lain guilty, he could serve life in prison.

<p>Carole Trachy, 80, told a jury on Thursday that she was scared as two figures unlawfully entered her Ocala bedroom while she was sleeping one January night, fired two shots into a painting hanging over her bed, another into a nearby blind, and threatened her.</p><p>"She said she had a gun and she would shoot me in the head," Trachy recalled a female voice say.</p><p>A bb gun is believed to have been used during the crime.</p><p>The victim recalled lying still in her bed as she listened to the pair rummage through her house for a half hour and call to one another; first in code but then by the names "Christina" and "Jason."</p><p>This was not the first time Trachy had heard this man's name. Jason Michael Lain, 31, had previously completed several odd jobs around the victim's house, located in the 1000 block of Southeast 52nd Court.</p><p>Trachy's retold the early morning events of Jan. 7 during Lain's trial, which began Thursday morning.</p><p>Lain is charged with a first-degree felony, armed burglary of a dwelling with an assault; a third-degree felony, furthering the burglary by cutting a telephone line inside the victim's house; and two first-degree misdemeanors, contributing to the delinquency of a minor.</p><p>The prosecution argued Lain and co-defendant Christina Lyn Brick, 34, left their two young children unattended in a room inside the Ocala Inn while they committed the crime. Brick — believed to be in charge during the crime — pleaded guilty in open court Wednesday to the same charges and was sentenced by Circuit Judge Brian Lambert to 35 years in prison. She previously rejected a 30-year plea agreement offered by the state. A 240-day credit will be applied to her sentence for time served in jail pending resolution of the case.</p><p>During his opening statement, Assistant State Attorney Bryon Aven told the six-member jury the couple used a crowbar to open a sliding glass door at the home and, once inside, cut a phone line.</p><p>"Mr. Lain and Ms. Brick made sure the power was out," he said. "They knew she was home and they didn't want her to call anyone."</p><p>Trachy told police the thieves stole a Macbook Pro computer, a Cannon printer/fax machine, an iPad, jewelry, jewelry cases, her deceased husband's shotgun, and other items.</p><p>After the pair left, she called 911 to report the burglary and told officials her suspicion of Jason Lain as one of the suspects.</p><p>A Macbook, displaying Trachy's name in black ink, was later found inside a truck linked to Lain, along with other items.</p><p>While Trachy didn't see Lain during the burglary, she did identify him by his voice. "I do have very good hearing for an 80-year-old," the humanities professor said.</p><p>The defense later pointed out the man Trachy believed to be Lain only spoke five words during the crime, and therefore challenged her recollection.</p><p>After Trachy called 911, authorities issued a "be on the lookout" for a truck matching the description given by the victim. A Marion County Sheriff's Office corporal who heard the signal recalled pulling over Brick and Lain earlier. He headed in the direction of the Ocala Inn, where he believed they were staying.</p><p>He found the truck in the parking lot with several items matching Trachy's description inside.</p><p>During his opening statement, defense attorney Leonard Klatt indicated Trachy has a prior bias against Lain. "She had some words with him about the work he was doing," Klatt said. "So, when she was robbed, the first thing she thought was Jason Lain."</p><p>He told the jury Lain left his children in the care of friend Jose Martinez. Martinez, previously convicted of crimes involving dishonesty, denied this claim in his own testimony Thursday.</p><p>The man also told the jury he witnessed the pair come back to the hotel room and watched Brick dump out a pillowcase filled with jewelry while her young daughter tried on the items.</p><p>Klatt told the jury twice that Brick pleaded guilty to the crime and it was she — not Lain — who is responsible for the burglary. He also told the court his client was trying to sell a bb gun, and this is why he carried it around with him — not to commit an offense.</p><p>Klatt also pointed out only one phone line was cut, and therefore several other phones in the house would likely still be working.</p><p>Aven showed the jury surveillance footage of the Ocala Inn that depicts the truck leaving the parking lot around 1:30 a.m. and returning around 5 a.m. the morning of the burglary, which is said to have occurred around 4 a.m. The defense pointed out no one checked the footage to see if the truck had pulled back into the inn between those times.</p><p>Klatt also pointed out difficulty in identifying Lain or Brick by the footage.</p><p>"They look like them to me," said Marion County Sheriff's Detective Bobby LeVay after watching the footage.</p><p>At one point during the trial, Lain pressed his hands together in a praying motion, closed his eyes and moved his lips without speaking.</p><p>The defendant has been inside the Marion County Jail since his arrest on Jan. 8.</p><p>The state and defense are expected to rest this morning, and the case is likely to go to the jury for deliberation the same day. If a jury finds Lain guilty, he could serve life in prison.</p><p><i>Contact April Warren at 867-4065 or april.warren@ocala.com.</i></p>